Dogs of Berlin

I gave it 9 stars, although it probably deserves more like 8, but I felt that I had to do my part to upgrade the rating a little.

Some parts of the story are absolutely ridiculous and farfetched, the computer generated scenes of the football matches were some of the worst I've seen in recent memory, however I was entertained the entire series and I definitely want to see the second season.

The two leads were both terrific and elevated the show beyond trashy camp. It feels a little bit like watching the over the top and absurd Boondock Saints at times crossed with a really good English serial... however the portrayal of the central characters somehow lend credibility to the proceedings even when the plot veers way off the rails.

As an American it's hard to tell where this series stands in comparison to other German television shows, and it's difficult to judge what aspects of Berlin life and culture even remotely resembled reality. I did find it fascinating, however and it made me want to try other German series.

There are at least 200K Turkish residents in Berlin, a huge community. This series focus on the Turkish - German relations in Berlin by way of ethnic tension, racism, gang rivalcy and control of racket business in the streets all crafted to produce a compelling and vibrant plot. There is also a good production and imagery to give life to violent scenes. Good quality

The production values and the acting are quite high. Not just for a german production but in general. Some things may feel a bit added on (like a sexual orientation of a main character) and a bit overcrowded. But overall the show walks the thin line and makes it through.

Actually even when some crazy stuff happens, which may seem out of touch with "reality", it still stays true to the overall vibe of the show. It also explores gray areas and not everything is good or bad. Just because one character does something bad, does not mean they are evil overall.

It's really a shame this seems to not be getting a second or more seasons. But as it is, it is a testament that there can be really good german tv shows.

I have visited Berlin several times, have read about its history and present day, including Muslim immigrants, but still - this series depicts a parallel realm, issues often directly associated with erroneous decisions in the past. Lots of segregation, exercise of power, wrong understanding of sense of community - and you find yourself in the middle of problems as shown in Dogs of Berlin.

For an outsider like me, everything seems realistic, including the characters, performances, environment, and the overall uneasiness is dominant throughout the season. The script included some nice twists, mainly related to the cop Grimmer; as for the cast, Fahri Yardim and Katrin Sass were more memorable, but, as mentioned above, they all did their good, yet difficult job.

Thus, another good German series, recommended to all them willing to know all faces of Berlin - one can easily do it via TV, visiting those places by yourself is often not a good idea...

This series deserves better than a 7.5. It down & dirty in the Gang/Underworld of Berlin. Probably not for every one, but the acting is superb. It has been my experience that many foreign shows don't get the credit they deserve.